


Let you rescue me the day I met you

by CassiopeiaVarAttre



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Arasaka - Freeform, Blood and Injury, F/M, Free Hanako, Male V (Cyberpunk 2077), Mutual Pining, Nomad Hanako, One Shot, Rescue Missions, The Star Ending (Cyberpunk 2077), Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 04:33:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30100341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassiopeiaVarAttre/pseuds/CassiopeiaVarAttre
Summary: “Gen’leman extraordinaire, Yorinobu Arasaka, confirmed that his sis, Hanako, was among the victims.” ~ Stanley
Relationships: Hanako Arasaka/V, Panam Palmer & V
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	Let you rescue me the day I met you

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I was playing The Star Ending again and got this idea, why during this ending Hanako was "confirmed" to be dead, even tho in The Sun she's still alive... I hope you will enjoy it! And let me know what you think!
> 
> As always huge thanks to ♥ shenanigan_manifesto ♥ for beta reading ♥

Coming back from Mikoshi was strange. The silence in V’s head was so bizarre. The sudden and deafening absence of his unwanted passenger was disorienting. Johnny wasn’t there anymore and the only voice in his head was his own. Relief. Peace. Silence. It felt so good to be alone again. 

V felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He was still floating in the water, surrounded by blue and red lights of the Mikoshi core. So that’s how his fight ends, being defeated by death anyway. It was too late already… But where was the point in time that wouldn't make that too late, then? Right before waking up from the dead? After the Dashi Parade? 

It all happened only in a few weeks so when exactly he had time to survive? All of this seems to be for nothing, yet he chooses to come back. His deal with Alt turned out to be nothing more than just engram him and return to the body, that isn’t his anymore… Irony as its finest. People sacrificed themselves for… six more months of his life.   
  
“V, come on, we have to go!” A familiar voice of his friend turned his attention to reality. Panam’s worried face was staring at him, begging to take some action by biting her lips and frowning as she tried to haul him on his feet. “V, we have to go before they notice… there’s… there’s an attack on Arasaka Tower, we are not safe here”   
  
“Wha? Attack?” V dragged himself out of the water and sat next to Panam. The world around him felt different, still covered by the fog of unknown tense.   
  
“Mitch contacted me, It’s everywhere… TV, radio.” All he wanted now is just to rest, but things weren’t ever that easy. He touched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes together. What a fucking coincidence, V thought. “It was allegedly a murder on board members. The Tower is under lockdown. I can’t contact Mitch back... they are blocking signals to the outside.”   
  
Attack, board members, murder… Was this why Hanako needed him? To prevent any of this from happening? Surely she knew more than she made privy to him, but why did she keep it a secret that her life was on the line? To make him feel sorry, get him to agree to come? Or she was too proud and naive to think that such a thing wouldn’t happen? Considering that she agreed to play the show, even when her life was put on the line during the parade, it looks like she could, in fact, play another act hoping for the best. 

Arasaka has committed atrocities, sure... but their employees, corpos caught in the cogs of the machine to try make it, didn't deserve to die. He felt guilty, knowing that probably he could have prevented it. If he agreed to Hanako’s offer, ‘caldos would be still alive. Their life wouldn’t be on the line and everyone would be safe. 

If his decision already killed too many, he at least can try to save some lives too. 

“Panam… I have to make a call.”   
  
“What? I told you the signal…”   
  
“It’s Hanako Arasaka. She… said she will be here.” 

Panam’s eyebrows jumped up in surprise. V can't blame her, all this situation is fucked up, and yet again he’s telling her another bizarre thing.  
  
“Johnny Silverhand, his AI girlfriend, and now Hanako Arasaka?! V, it’s not our problem, let’s go.” She took his hand but he didn’t move an inch. 

“I don’t know if she’s still alive. If she picks up, and she needs us, I will try to save her…” Panam scoffed, clearly not convinced a bit of this idea. “I don’t want to risk your life on the way, so you can go back.”   
  
“You’re fucking insane…”   
  
“I know… I owe her this much.”   
  
“Owe her? Since when you know Hanako fucking Arasaka?” 

“Since I kidnapped her.” 

Panam blinked a few times. She should have guessed that for her own sake. Closing her eyes, she put a hand on her forehead. A decision like this isn’t easy. Helping your friend storm Arasaka because he’s dying is one thing. Helping your friend rescue the daughter of pure evil because he has some strange moral compass is a different deck of cards. 

“Fine, I’m going with you.” 

V smiled as he stood.   
  
“Thanks, Panam. You’re the best.”   
  
“Of course I am.”   
  
V’s eyes became covered in blue as he opened his HUD to pick up Hanako’s line. He knows that he doesn’t have any reason to care at all, it’s not his business, not his family… But she asked for help, and he refused. And now she might die, and he would have that on his conscious forever.

The sound of the waiting call makes this situation even worse. In the hands of fate is the matter if she picks up or not. 

Would she pick up, though? V literally ignored her, so trust in him was most likely gone. He may also be too late for the party. Or the whole attack was her plan.   
  
“Congratulations on being late.”   
  
But she did, in fact, pick up. And of course, she mocked him. But something was off, and he could hear that in her voice. Like a fear covered by confidence, the tension in the throat caused by pain.   
  
“Listen, I don’t know what’s going on, but I can help you.”   
  
“What is this, another trick from Yorinobu?”   
  
“What? No, I… I can hear you’re in pain. I’m next to Mikoshi core…”   
  
“What?! How?!”   
  
“Not relevant… Where are you?”   
  
The answer didn’t come right away. The silence tugged at V's heartstrings. It seemed like... Yorinobu really never cared for her; used her as a pawn in his game. Now useless at this point. V noticed that coordinates were sent to his HUD. Yet again, he may be her last hope. 

“Look for the window where you are and get inside the room on the other side, there is an elevator. Use the access codes I gave you. Be quick. It is a matter of time when they find me.” It probably took a lot of her strength to say those words. The accent was thicker and voice ragged, in spite of her efforts to sound strong. V looked around and found a window described by Hanako and pointed in that direction to Panam as they started moving.   
  
“I got it. Stay on the line.”   
  
They both did as they instructed. V and Panam moved from the bridge and got to the door next to the window. The access key worked as promised, and they came to look around for the elevator. 

The guilt V felt was crushing as he took in the deadly consequences of his poor decision-making. It was fine as long as only he was affected, but that changed really quickly. First on the list was Jackie, and now last is Saul. Who else will join the death note that V holds in his hand? Would it be Hanako, apparently hunted by her own brother; or Panam, who he asked for help? He doesn’t want any more blood to be spilled thanks to stupid decisions that were his, and only his.   
  
The way to higher floors was now in front of him, as instructed. He used another access key sent by Hanako as he clicked on the elevator’s panel. This lift technically takes him nowhere, as the information is unknown. He doesn’t know to what floor it will take him, and in front of what he will stand up. 

There was always a possibility that it was another corpo chess play and Hanako will bring him just to sacrifice as one of her pawns. But it doesn’t look like it anymore. The tower is failing, and it’s a scenario no one thought about. 

Panam and V waited for the elevator to open, just to be surprised by the view in front of them. A dead body of a man was lying on the floor in a puddle of blood. Black Arasaka uniform now was stained by a burgundy liquid, showing that whoever did that had no mercy. His face was covered by a red mask; broken, but his face still hidden. V knew who it was. And he didn’t like it at all. 

Panam was the first one to walk inside. For her, it was just another dead body. For V, he was an enemy whom he showed his mercy and spared his life.

All of this was wrong. Saul’s death was bad enough to mess up in V’s head and now he’s in the elevator with Oda’s dead body. It’s not like he’s not used to death, but when you know someone it became personal. It makes feel things. Unpleasant, sadness pinning in the chest.

“Hanako?” He said after clicking the panel to take him to his destination. “I’m in the elevator... I’m sorry.”   
  
Hanako’s weak voice sounds in his ear. “This was all avoidable if you only…” _If only he accepted her offer._ Yes, he knows this. But too bad that it had to happen to show him the consequences of his actions. Because he wasn’t thinking about everything when he asked the nomads for help. He wasn’t thinking when he and Jackie accepted that damn gig from Dex. 

Hanako was hurt, he suspects not only physically, but mentally too. Can he really blame her? Her father was murdered by her brother, she got abducted at the parade in the memorial of him, in totally unknown to her city, and she learned that her brother doesn’t care about her life at all.

That’s quite a lot to take for anyone. Doesn’t matter if your life was full of rose petals and cherry blossoms or trash and dry vines. Betrayal by someone who you trust and love hurts the same no matter who you are. Hanako put the remains of her trust into V’s hands and he did exactly the same as Yorinobu. He tore this trust apart. 

“I know. But I’m here now. Where should I look for you?”   
  
“Do not worry about that.” 

V gave Panam a look. Her eyes were tensed, nose wrinkled, and lips pressed together. Panam was angry, though he doesn't know if it was because of this whole situation, or specifically because of his idea to rescue Hanako. 

She didn't hear Hanako's parts of conversations, only V's, and that makes it easy to misinterpret. As there was not only his guilt involved, but something else. Something that makes him a hero on a white horse whose whole goal is to rescue a princess in trouble. And V was aware what kind of image it creates. 

The feeling of being judged was all over him. His friend knows only that he kidnapped Hanako and somehow got her personal line. The space between could be easily filled by what Panam's mind decides to put there. 

V wasn't talking much, he rather supported Panam with few words he had to offer. That's why thinking that V could hide such important details like knowing Hanako Arasaka wasn’t really that hard to pull off. But it’s not like he wouldn’t tell her if she asked. It never happened, so there was no reason to tell. Whatever his companion was thinking now, she kept it for herself, and V was glad for it. 

The elevator stopped and the opening revealed a massive office. V for some reason remembered this place. Like he was here before, in a previous life. Johnny’s life. 

The peaceful state of that place was interrupted by the path of blood from the lift. It wasn’t going anywhere far away. The track turned to the right side. V took a step further to see where it led. 

Hanako was sitting on the floor just a few feet away from the elevator’s doors. Now V knows why her bodyguard looked like he did. Oda had shielded her from all the bullets aimed in her direction. Whatever happened at the meeting was a real massacre, and Hanako became the canvas to illustrate that. Her white dress was now stained in blood like the rest of her body. He wasn’t sure if it was hers, Oda’s, or someone else, but it covered almost every inch. V couldn't see her face though, as she hid it by hugging one of her knees. 

“V, where is sh-” Panam trailed off as she followed him as she noticed Hanako. Panam’s voice caught her attention as she turned her head up to look at both of them. 

It confirmed all of V’s speculations. Her bodyguard’s dead body must have landed on her as he was bleeding out in his attempt to save her. Just as the rest, her face was covered by blood, blending with the remains of her ruby makeup. Streams of black liquid around her eyes revealed she’s crying. 

All of this was too much for Hanako Arasaka to take. V saw her attitude when they kidnapped her. She was still proud, treating him like a peasant. Whatever held her emotions at bay there, was a long time gone here.

“Ironic. You… really came.” A sad smile appeared on Hanako’s face. 

“I told you I will.”   
  
“Of course.” She amazed him. Despite all the burden on her, with tears in her eyes and blood on her face, Hanako was still trying to mock him. And she had every right to do so. He deserves that. 

“Nice, beautiful reunion. Can we go now?” Panam reminded them that it’s not a time for small talks but for taking their asses as war away from Arasaka Tower as possible.   
  
“I do not believe I am able to go, as I was shot in my leg.” 

V without asking further questions came closer and crouched down next to her. He spotted three empty airhypos next to her wounded leg. Her position from his previous perspective hid a hole in the dress on Hanako’s thigh. It looked really bad, as she didn’t do anything to put pressure there. 

“Hanako, did you used all of those airhypos?” She nodded at V’s question.  
  
“Shit, you overdosed…” That explained to him how she was able to move from the elevator and talk to him despite the blood loss. And the fact that no further actions in securing the wound were taken as she most likely doesn’t feel her leg at all. “I have to tear your dress to secure the wound, are you okay with that?”   
  
“Yes.”   
  
So V did exactly as he said and tore apart her dress in a place, that was still covering her, but gave him access and enough material to put pressure where she was hurt. She didn’t twitch a single muscle as he tied the fabric around her tight, only confirming that she lost feeling in that leg.   
  
“We have to go the same way as we came here.” Panam informed them as V was done with knotting the fabric.   
  
“Could you take out Oda’s body from there, please?” Hanako whispered to him, and he nodded. Doing exactly as she asked. He put his body in a sitting position next to the wall, to give his old enemy deserved respect, and not make him just another dead corpse. 

Panam was silent, but V noticed how impatient she was. They were on unknown ground, with no specifics of this situation. As if that wasn’t bad enough, they are going to steal Hanako Arasaka, one of the most important people on the planet, in order to save her life from whatever is happening here. There is actually no further plan involved. The rest of 'caldos are unaware of what they are doing here, and whose life they save and whose didn't. 

V came back to Hanako and bent over her to take her in his arms. She understood that it was necessary, even if it made her uncomfortable. He noticed how sticky she was as the blood began to dry. 

Three airhypos, for someone like Hanako, was two more than acceptable dose. It won't kill her, but one of the side effects is that she's most likely not fully aware of what's really happening, as airhypos contain strong sedatives too. She may wake up tomorrow, not remember this whole situation or her experiences can put her in great shock for a few days. 

Hanako put her hand on V's shoulder and grabbed his leather jacket like her life was depending on it. In a sense, it was now dependent on V himself, and Hanako likely still didn't believe that he came for her. 

“Will you help me this time, V?” Hanako’s voice was serene as he carried her to the elevator. V looked at her face and studied carefully. It was hard to read this woman, not only because of the horror scene on her face due to being showered in blood but also a wall she constantly rebuilds around herself whenever V thinks he solved her. That question was out of place, as he is helping her at that very moment. 

“I’m helping you, Hanako. I promise you will be safe.” 

“I simply do not believe any words of yours.” She whispered as the lift closed to take them back to Mikoshi level.   
  


* * *

V got out of the car to take a better look at the city. Someone was already waiting for him, leaning on the barrier as he moved to the view spot. 

Her leather racing jacket was shining in the gold rays of sunlight, though there were no signs showing to which family she belonged. V didn't need them to know that, as it was his family. 

He joined his companion, and leaned on the barrier too. Her brown eyes focused on the city in front of them, face serene, yet he knew that she's analyzing everything. 

"You all right?" V's question caused instant change on her face, as she put her eyebrows together and looked at him, visibly hurt. 

In front of him was no one else, than Hanako Arasaka herself. Or Hanako, as she had to forget about her last name. The same Hanako that allegedly her sweet brother is searching for. The same Hanako, after whom he was crying when she got abducted again. And the very same Hanako, that in reality should be dead. The Hanako that lost her father in Night City. The Hanako that lost her brother in Night City. The Hanako that lost her name in Night City. 

"Sorry… That was stupid of me to ask." 

"I lost everything in Night City, V. I harbor no illusion that I will ever be "all right" again." 

V would never have guessed that one day, he will have more in common with her, than with anyone in this bloody city. Both of them lost everything. Although, there is one difference between them as V found everything again, and Hanako is still looking for it. 

"Maybe it's not everything. Maybe you… found something… someone in this city too?" V slowly took her hand in his, and enjoyed the clicked sound of their cybernetics abrasion as clapped their hands together. V hoped this would cheer her up a little bit. 

"Did I, V?" She finally faced him. 

Hanako changed. She had to, for her own sake. Though she was really hesitant to do any, so they found a compromise to make small changes. Like the bangs and space buns that gave her a more childish look, or nomad clothes on it's own were enough to hide that corpo princess she was. 

"I'm here, aren't I?" Her brown eyes turned to the city again. 

"And for how long will you stay with me?" 

"Huh?" 

"I am cautious, V. I simply cannot believe your words." 

He was confused. It's been quite some time since he rescued her from Arasaka Tower. Even her wounds are close to being fully healed. V was taking care of her all this time, and he thought that they established some kind of connection. Yet here he is, knowing that Hanako doesn't trust him. She squeezed his hand and looked at him again. 

"Have you ever thought about telling me that you are dying, V?" 

"Wha- How…" 

Her gaze landed on the ground. This conversation was hurting her, but her walls were still there, holding her at bay. 

"The Relic was not only Hellman's creation, but also mine. I took care of the engram part, he of the medical aspects." 

"Oh…" He should have guessed. She knew about Mikoshi after all, it was obvious Hanako would know how The Relic works. Of course V didn't consider this; just how his foolishness led to the lost lives of nearly everyone he loved before her. 

Hanako took their hands into the air, between their faces, to get a better look at the contrast of it. Her small golden fingers illuminated the sunlight like the moon at night in his hand, flickering at their faces, sometimes even binding their eyes.

"I truly lost everything in Night City." She guided their hands in the city's direction, just to release V's hand like it was a butterfly ready to fly away. 

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from "ilomilo" by Billie Eilish 
> 
> "I tried not to upset you  
> Let you rescue me the day I met you  
> I just wanted to protect you  
> But now I'll never get to"


End file.
